Cart carrier with biased clamping device

Abstract

A biased clamping device for use with a cart carrier that includes a cart support and a clamping channel moveable between an open position and a clamped position is disclosed. The biased clamping device includes a biasing member associated with the clamping channel that biases the clamping channel to the clamped position. The biasing member includes a first end attached to the cart support and a second end attached to the clamping channel. The biasing member loads when the clamping channel is moved between the clamped position and the open position.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A biased clamping device for use with a cart carrier that includes a platform, a cart support extending vertically from the platform, a clamping channel that is supported by the cart support and that is movable between an open position and a clamped position, and an actuation rod extending through the platform that engages the clamping channel to move the clamping channel between the open position and the clamped position, the biased clamping device comprising:
 a first biasing member associated with said clamping channel that biases said clamping channel to the clamped position, said first biasing member including a first end attached to said cart support and a second end attached to said clamping channel, said first biasing member loading when said clamping channel is moved to said open position. 
 
     
     
       2. The biased clamping device of  claim 1 , wherein said first biasing member biases said clamping channel to the clamped position by biasing said clamping channel towards said platform. 
     
     
       3. The biased clamping device of  claim 1 , wherein said first biasing member is a coil spring. 
     
     
       4. The biased clamping device of  claim 1 , wherein said first end of said first biasing member is attached to said cart support by engagement with a first clevis pin and said second end of said first biasing member is attached to said clamping channel with a second clevis pin. 
     
     
       5. The biased clamping device of  claim 4 , wherein the first clevis pin is located in an internal section of the cart support. 
     
     
       6. The biased clamping device of  claim 4 , wherein the second clevis pin is located in an internal section of the clamping channel. 
     
     
       7. The biased clamping device of  claim 1 , wherein the first biasing member loads when the platform is lowered. 
     
     
       8. The biased clamping device of  claim 1 , wherein the first biasing member is partially loaded when the clamping channel is in the clamped position. 
     
     
       9. The biased clamping device of  claim 1 , wherein the cart carrier is configured to carry a plurality of carts, the clamping channel is configured to engage each one of the plurality of carts in the clamped position, and the first biasing member is configured to provide a biased vertical restraint to each one of the plurality of carts when the clamping channel is in the clamped position. 
     
     
       10. The biased clamping device of  claim 1 , the biased clamping device further comprising:
 a second biasing member associated with said clamping channel that biases said clamping channel to the clamped position, said second biasing member including a first end attached to said cart support and a second end attached to said clamping channel, said second biasing member loading when said clamping channel is moved to said open position. 
 
     
     
       11. The biased clamping device of  claim 10 , wherein the first biasing member is positioned on a first end of the clamping channel and the second biasing member is positioned on a second end of the clamping channel, the first end of the clamping channel being opposite from the second end of the clamping channel. 
     
     
       12. A biased clamping device for a cart carrier configured for carrying a plurality of carts on a platform, the cart carrier including a cart support extending vertically from the platform, at least one actuation rod, and a clamping channel supported by the cart support and being movable between an open position and a clamped position, the clamping channel restraining each one of the plurality of carts, the biased clamping device comprising:
 a first biasing member coupled to the clamping channel, the first biasing member biasing the clamping channel to the clamped position and is configured to provide a biased vertical restraint to each one of the plurality of carts when the cart carrier is in the clamped position. 
 
     
     
       13. The biased clamping device of  claim 12 , wherein the first biasing member is a coil spring. 
     
     
       14. The biased clamping device of  claim 12 , wherein the first biasing member includes a first end and a second end, the second end being opposite the first end, wherein the first end of the first biasing member is coupled to the cart support and the second end of the first biasing member is coupled to the clamping channel. 
     
     
       15. The biased clamping device of  claim 14 , wherein said first end of said first biasing member is attached to said cart support by engagement with a first clevis pin and said second end of said first biasing member is attached to said clamping channel with a second clevis pin. 
     
     
       16. The biased clamping device of  claim 12 , wherein the first biasing member loads when the platform is lowered. 
     
     
       17. The biased clamping device of  claim 12 , wherein the first biasing member is partially loaded when the cart carrier is in the clamped position. 
     
     
       18. The biased clamping device of  claim 12 , wherein said first biasing member biases said clamping channel to the clamped position by biasing said clamping channel towards said platform. 
     
     
       19. The biased clamping device of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a second biasing member associated with said clamping channel that biases said clamping channel to the clamped position, said second biasing member including a first end attached to said cart support and a second end attached to said clamping channel, said second biasing member loading when said clamping channel is moved to said open position. 
 
     
     
       20. A biased clamping device for use with a cart carrier that includes a platform for loading a plurality of carts, a cart support extending vertically from the platform, a clamping channel that is supported by the cart support and that is movable between an open position and a clamped position, and an actuation rod extending through the platform that engages the clamping channel to move the clamping channel between the open position and the clamped position, the biased clamping device comprising:
 a first biasing member associated with said clamping channel that biases said clamping channel to the clamped position, the first biasing member being positioned on a first end of the clamping channel and loading when said clamping channel is moved to said open position; and 
 a second biasing member associated with said clamping channel that biases said clamping channel to the clamped position, the second biasing member being positioned on a second end of the clamping channel and loading when said clamping channel is moved to said open position; 
 the first biasing member and the second biasing member providing a biased vertical restraint for each one of the plurality of carts.